3G microcell

3G microcell

I received a letter stating that I could pick up a 3G microcell at a nearby ATT store. The store said that they didn't have any microcells and told me to call customer Service who said she could send me one for a $19.99 monthly charge. The letter said no charge for the microcell. What is going on?

Re: 3G microcell

Divide wrote:

I received a letter stating that I could pick up a 3G microcell at a nearby ATT store. The store said that they didn't have any microcells and told me to call customer Service who said she could send me one for a $19.99 monthly charge. The letter said no charge for the microcell. What is going on?

The CSR lady neglected to give you ALL the information about available options with the MicroCell. There are two options.

1. You get the MicroCell and either pay $150.00 for it, or you get it free if you have the letter from AT&T stating that you can get one free. With this option, all voice calls made through the MicroCell count against your plan minutes and there is NO additional monthly charge.

2. You pay $150.00 for the MicroCell, and you pay $19.99/mo. With this option you get rebates so that the MicroCell is free regardless of whether or not you have a letter from AT&T for a free one. The difference is that for the $19.99/mo you get unlimited voice calls thorough the MicroCell and these calls do NOT count against your plan minutes.

In no way are you required to opt for the $19.99/mo plan in order to use a MicroCell. The choice for option 1 or option 2 is completely up to you.

Re: 3G microcell

Microcells retail for $150, but if you buy one that way there is no added monthly cost and you use your plan minutes as usual.

For $20/mo, you can get an unlimited calling feature so calls through the mcell don't use minutes. When you set this up at the time of purchase, AT&T has been offering rebates and/or subsidies to offset the $150 price.

Re: 3G microcell

The exact same thing has just happened to me. There was nothing in the offer letter that referred to a monthly charge and I asked the agent at the store in the Lloyd Center of Portland, Oregon if there was a fee and she said no. I called the customer service line today, and was told my only option was to return the device!The agent in the store told me that if I decided not to use the thing, then I could just deactivate it online and keep it. One more tidbit of joy, I was on the phone for help with the setup with AT&T for, I kid you not, three hours when I got it. They told me the problem was my modem. Soon after passing the buck, the thing started working, which it did for three weeks straight until this Saturday, when the 3G light began to flash again. How poorly can a company treat its customers?

Re: 3G microcell

babysneaks wrote:

The exact same thing has just happened to me. There was nothing in the offer letter that referred to a monthly charge and I asked the agent at the store in the Lloyd Center of Portland, Oregon if there was a fee and she said no. I called the customer service line today, and was told my only option was to return the device!The agent in the store told me that if I decided not to use the thing, then I could just deactivate it online and keep it. One more tidbit of joy, I was on the phone for help with the setup with AT&T for, I kid you not, three hours when I got it. They told me the problem was my modem. Soon after passing the buck, the thing started working, which it did for three weeks straight until this Saturday, when the 3G light began to flash again. How poorly can a company treat its customers?

Ridiculous. Sounds as thought the CSRs need to be re-educated regarding the MicroCell. Or else AT&T is somehow incenting the CSRs to push the $19.99/mo plan. To repeat: There is NO obligation to sign up for the $19.99/mo unlimited MicroCell calling plan to use a MicroCell!!! You can use the MicroCell without the additional monthly fee. The only difference is that if you don't get the extra-cost plan, all voice calls made through the MicroCell will count against your voice plan minutes. That's it...no other hidden mystical requirements to do anything else to have a working MicroCell. And whether you get it for free, or pay $150.00 for the hardware, it is YOURS...you bought it, you didn't rent or lease it.

Re: 3G microcell

My grandmother got the same letter. When she went to the store, they told her that she could pay $20/mo so the microcell would would with our home phones! It seems like they are trying to get everyone on this plan, even those that received it for free. More alarmingly, it seems the reps at this specific store were willing to trick an elderly woman.

Re: 3G microcell

Here's my nightmare -- last week I picked up a 3G MicroCell in the store in response to a letter I received. Eagerly I went down there, hoping against hope for better service. Nobody tried to charge me anything extra, but when I got the MicroCell home, I spent hours on the phone with two separate customer service reps (nice folks and they tried hard) trying to get it to hook up properly. After trying every possible configuration (and purchasing an expensive ethernet switcher at Best Buy which is going back to the store), it was determined that the MicroCell I was given is defective. The rep instructed me to return it to the store where I got it and exchange it for one that works. Easier said than done, as after going all the way down there, the store was out of them and I can't take it anywhere else. They told me to call the following Wednesday when they get their merchandise orders in; of course, after many phone calls and getting sent to voicemail numerous times, the real person who finally reluctantly answered told me they didn't get any in and "didn't know" when they would be getting more. And no, they wouldn't contact me when they came in -- I should just "keep trying." Um, no thanks.

So I've spent lots of time and energy on this MicroCell thing, with nothing whatsoever to show for it except my usual one bar of cell phone strength in my house and a useless piece of equipment. Nice going, AT&T. You've lived up to your widespread reputation for lousy service.

Re: 3G microcell

nsayer and Anclar are absolutely correct. Unless AT&T has changed their service plan, you are not obligated to purchase any sort of plan. I paid $100 for mine last October and that was it. I'm wondering if AT&T is modifying their plan by "giving out" free MicroCells if you opt for the unlimited calling plan. Otherwise, you pay retail and nothing more. I haven't seen one of those "free" letters so I don't know how it's worded but it sounds like AT&T is headed for a Class Action if they don't straighten this out.

@Tajma - I got the same runaround from my local corporate store when I was going for my second warranty replacement. They told me the same thing, didn't know what was coming in their next shipment but they get them everyday around 11am and to call. I called the following day and they had them, so I told them to put one on hold for me until I could make it to the store (had to be the same day tho).

*The views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.

Re: 3G microcell

Thanks, Otto...I guess I'll try calling every day and making a complete nuisance of myself. Maybe they'll get sick of hearing from me and get me a new unit just to get me off their backs!

You would think with Verizon getting the iPhone, AT&T would be trying harder to hang on to its customers, many of whom would surely drop them like a hot potato at the first opportunity. Guess not!

It never hurts to be persistent. Polite, but persistent. I wouldn't expect Verizon to be any better after the merger. AT&T has a tendency to force its culture on whoever they "merge" with so I doubt if much will change.

*The views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.

Re: 3G microcell

Thanks, Otto...I guess I'll try calling every day and making a complete nuisance of myself. Maybe they'll get sick of hearing from me and get me a new unit just to get me off their backs!

You would think with Verizon getting the iPhone, AT&T would be trying harder to hang on to its customers, many of whom would surely drop them like a hot potato at the first opportunity. Guess not!

It never hurts to be persistent. Polite, but persistent. I wouldn't expect Verizon to be any better after the merger. AT&T has a tendency to force its culture on whoever they "merge" with so I doubt if much will change.

Correction on my part. I wasn't paying attention to what I posted (talking to someone at the same time) and said that AT&T and Verizon were merging. We all know that's not the case. I meant T-Mobile. However, from talking with other folks who have VZ, their support is not much better for some. What eventually is going to happen will be consumers left to only two cell phone technologies, both with their pros and cons, so we will be left with fewer choices.

*The views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.